


shelter

by cis_king_uwu



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Depression, Established Relationship, Everyone Has Issues, F/M, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Hermione Granger-centric, Original Children Character(s), Post-Battle of Hogwarts, Self-Reflection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-14
Updated: 2019-03-14
Packaged: 2019-11-17 17:49:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18103430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cis_king_uwu/pseuds/cis_king_uwu
Summary: Hermione and Draco are expecting their fourth child and they discuss names with their friends





	shelter

**Author's Note:**

> so the title doesn’t really play into the story; i was just listening to music and got inspired by a song

_So when my bones come tumbling in_  
_Oh, I did it to myself_  
_Will you still let me in?_  
_Will you still let me in?_

_~ Dorothy, Shelter_

 

Hermione Granger wasn’t one to cry, especially after everything that she’s gone through - after everything the entire Wizarding World went through. She didn’t want to seem weak when having one weakness could have the Death Eaters pouncing on you within seconds. She had to stay strong for Harry; for all of the people fighting alongside her. 

But then the war was over, Voldemort was dead and the remaining Death Eaters were being sent to Azkaban for the rest of their lives, and she didn’t have to be strong for anyone.

So she cried and cried and cried for days on end. Her parents were off living somewhere in Australia, not knowing they had a teenage daughter living in England or living at all actually. Harry and Ron and the rest of the Weasley’s were all grieving at the Burrow, a place that had become a harbor of sorrow after Fred’s untimely death during the war. Despite also grieving for his death, Hermione couldn’t stand seeing the people she loved in such despair. 

Soon months passed after the war had ended and nothing changed, Hermione was still receding into herself and no one cared enough to notice. Sure, she would visit the Burrow every Sunday for dinner per Molly’s request but she put on a fake happy face for them. They didn’t need to add her sadness into theirs. 

But something, well someone, soon wormed their way into her life. Following the war, Hermione had taken up a position in the Ministry of Magic’s department of Magical Law Enforcement and threw herself into her work. Attending the trials of ‘convicted’ Death Eaters also came with the job and it was at one of these trials where she ran into Draco Malfoy for the first time after the war. 

Hermione sighed. 

He looked like a husk of his former self; like one of those people featured in advertisements warning Muggle teenagers about anorexia. It was at his parents’ trials where they had met again. The ‘great’ Lucius Malfoy was sentenced to life in Azkaban without the possibility of parole. Narcissa Malfoy was let off easy, in Hermione’s opinion anyway, as she was only sentenced to ten years in Azkaban and another ten years of Magical probation; meaning she couldn’t use magic or go to places like Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley for ten years after she was released from Azkaban. 

“I sincerely apologize for how cruel I was to you at Hogwarts, Granger. You don’t have to forgive me, Merlin knows you shouldn’t, but just know I am sorry” was the first thing Malfoy had said to her after nearly a year since the war ended. 

And now they were married and had three kids, expecting their fourth. 

When they first announced that they were dating, no one understood why. Harry and the Weasley’s, except Molly and Ginny, all but disowned her; they couldn’t fathom why she would even consider dating an Ex-Death Eater, especially someone who had tormented her for so many years. Draco’s parents were in Azkaban so whether they supported the relationship, which neither of them did, or not it didn’t exactly matter. His friends, surprisingly, welcomed Hermione with open arms. 

Now, they all sat around a table once a week with everyone’s beverage of choice and caught up with each other. Pansy is always talking about her latest fling, Blaise and Daphne gush about their children, Greg doesnt talk all too much, and Theo talks about the latest happening with any number of his businesses. Theo, unlike other Pureblood wizards, sees potential in Muggles and has invested in multiple large companies and pieces of real estate. No wonder why he’s now one of the most successful people in their Hogwarts graduating class and he’s somewhat of a minor celebrity in the Muggle world as well. 

“So, ‘Mione, Drake, have you guys thought of any names for baby number four?” Pansy asks inbetween sips of her champagne. 

Hermione, Draco, and the five other Slytherins were sitting around Blaise and Daphne’s kitchen table, having their annual dinner. All of the kids, all six of them, were being watched by Daphne’s younger sister, Astoria. Both couples, Hermione and Draco and Blaise and Daphne, have three children but Hermione is the only one out of their little group of friends that is pregnant again. Blaise and Astoria have a little boy named Eli and two little girls that are named Thalia and Vienna. Hermione and Draco have all boys that are named Scorpius, Finley, and Leo. 

Pansy, Greg, and Theo all don’t have any children and aren’t married. Pansy has had more than her share of flings so it’s surprising that she hasn’t ended up pregnant yet but she’s slowing down and has expressed to Hermione multiple times that she is finally ready to meet the ‘one’. Greg and Theo were both relatively silent about their love lives but they all know that Theo is getting serious with his Muggle girlfriend, Olivia. 

Hermione is hoping that baby number four is going to be a girl as she’s always wanted a daughter. She thinks that Draco wants another son but three boys is difficult to handle, adding another to the mix isn’t exactly going to help. 

“Amara for a girl and Caspian for a boy” Draco says in response to Pansy’s question. 

“Those are nice names, and hopefully for ‘Mione’s sake you guys have a girl this time” Daphne says with a smile on her face. 

Hermione was somewhat jealous of Daphne; she had the two best daughters that anyone could ask for, and a pretty amazing son, but back when she and Blaise were just engaged she said how much she didn’t want to have children in general. Hermione only wanted a boy and girl and she ended up having three sons, not that she’s complaining because she loves her sons more than anyone else in the entire world but she would like to have at least one daughter. 

The conversation shifted to something else quickly, as it always did, and soon everyone was laughing and smiling. Hermione looked around and her face could be seen visibly brightening up as she looked at her husband and friends. 

She used to not like to cry but now she’s found people that she’s willing to shed a few, just a few, tears over.


End file.
